

This is my preferred method, both because it’s inexpensive to skip all the extra indoor planting materials, and because I can control how much I plant with successive sowing based on how many scallions we’re actually consuming at the house. Whether you’re a veteran gardener or a newbie, this is a worthy crop, and I’d like to tell you more about growing it. Those tough, easy-care alliums will keep spreading until you pull them out of the ground.īetween the speed with which they grow and the scallion’s fuss-free nature, even beginners can produce a harvest easily. They don’t just survive, they spread, or bunch, with each clump continuing to form new scallions you can either divide to form new plants, or pull up and eat. fistulosum as annuals.Īlso known as “bunching” onions, these alliums can overwinter in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 9, so gardeners in these regions can grow them as perennials. Gardeners in any latitude, or with any day length, can grow A. The types that do form bulbs are dependent on day-length to initiate bulbing, and gardeners in certain areas must select only the “long day,” “short day,” or “day neutral” types that will grow best in their area. Next, while a couple cultivars bulge slightly at the bottom, A. There are a few additional distinctions that make these scallions quite appealing.įirst of all, they grow quickly, producing a harvest in a matter of months, compared to the 14 to 20 weeks – or sometimes more – required to harvest full-size bulbing onions. The bottom portions are white, and the green tops taste a bit like chives. This onion species forms cylindrical stalks with hollow, green tops – hence the name fistulosum, which means “hollow.” Native to China, this species is now cultivated globally. While these are delicious and handy to have around, for our purposes, we’ll be talking about growing and caring mainly for A. If they aren’t picked at the immature stage, those onions can continue growing until you harvest them as storage onions.


cepa, thickly, and then harvest them young, before the bulbs are fully developed. Many growers and home gardeners plant regular bulbing onions, or varieties of A. In many regions of the country, any immature onion harvested while the top is still green may be referred to by the name “bunching onion,” “green onion,” “spring onion,” or sometimes, “scallion.” īefore I continue describing all the good traits of scallion plants, let’s quickly clarify a few terms. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products.
